If you would, turn to Numbers
chapter 12. Numbers chapter 12. I want to read like the first 10 verses. Yeah, got to read verse 10. And Miriam and Aaron spake against
Moses. because of the Ethiopian woman
whom he had married, for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord
indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. Now the
man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the
face of the earth. And the Lord spake suddenly unto
Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto
the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And
the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the
door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both
came forth. And he said, Hear now my words. If there be a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, will make myself known unto him in a vision, and
will speak to him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who
is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to
mouth, even apparently. and not in dark speeches. And the similitude of the Lord
shall he behold, wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against
my servant Moses? And the anger of the Lord was
kindled against them, and he departed. And the cloud departed
from off the tabernacle, and behold, Miriam became leprous,
white as snow, And Aaron looked upon Miriam, and behold, she
was leprous. I'm going to stop right there. Yeah. It's amazing. The title of the message is,
To Speak Against My Servant. Now, Walter referenced this. in one of his messages a while
back and it kind of stuck in my head. And I got to looking
at it the other day and it just kind of stuck with me. But I
do want to state plainly, right here, right now, I am not here
to preach about race relations. Okay? I am not here to preach
the equality of all men and all races. Now, after a manner of
speaking, I do believe in the equality of all men in all races. I believe they're all depraved,
every single one, including myself. They are equally all condemned
already if they believe not on the Son of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, Unless they believe in the name
of the Son of God, and even those who believe in the name of the
Son of God, they're still depraved. They're not condemned, but they're
still depraved. I firmly believe what the scripture
teaches, that man's old nature has not gone anywhere. It's still in us. Believers are
given a new nature, But and they still have that old nature, the
old man. All men sin because we are all
sinners. I wrote it down. I preach equal
opportunity to privacy. But nonetheless, we have this
verse here. Let me back up one because it's
on the other page. And Miriam and Aaron spake against
Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he married, for he
had married an Ethiopian woman." The part that the writer starts
out with here, which we're told is Moses, is that they spoke
against Moses. They'll give us a reason here
in a minute. But here's the claim. Here's the problem. They spoke
against Moses. Speaking against the servant
of God is never a good idea. It doesn't matter who you are
or what your motivation is. And speaking against Moses, we
are told here in this incident, is an especially bad idea. Now, I do want to be clear, this
is not to be mixed up with a rebuke for actions. David, a man after
God's own heart, was rebuked by Nathan for what David had
done. He told him, thou art the man. This was not a rebuke by Miriam
and Aaron. This was speaking against Moses. David deserved his rebuke because
of what he had done. But this, that, it wasn't speaking
against David. They were speaking against Moses. But it does say, clearly, because
of the Ethiopian woman whom he married. That's the cause of
their speaking against Moses. And I do find it significant
that Miriam is named first. Mason, I'm not trying to be a
misogynist. But I think there's a reason
Miriam was named first and I think there's a reason it was Miriam
that was made leprous. But Aaron said it too. It said
Miriam and Aaron. I don't think it's an accident
of literature, let's put it that way, that Miriam was named first. However, as you'll notice in
this whole incident, it's named here, it's written here in the
first verse, this part is never brought up again. It does say
that it was because Moses had married an Ethiopian woman. And
then it says after that, for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
This was their whole cause. And what this cause was, is a
sin. And what the results of it were,
that they spoke against Moses. This is why they spoke against
Moses. This is the only reason the scripture
gives in its entirety this incident for why they spoke against Moses. I do want to point this out.
The scripture never sugarcoats anything. David was called out because
of what he did. Miriam and Aaron here are told this is why they
did it. The scripture never ignores the
nature of man. It lays it flat out. And it's there, in black and
white, to read. She wasn't a Hebrew, and I'm
pretty sure Miriam and Aaron didn't like her, but the results
of this dislike, to be nice, is that they spoke against Moses. This is why they were upset and
offended. It says it. They didn't like who Moses married. But I want to state it a different
way, just slightly, not changing anything. They did not like the
bride of Moses. They did not like whom Moses
loved. And I'm going to tell you something,
that's dangerous ground. It's very natural, it's in the
nature of man, but it's very dangerous ground. Because what
they said in verse 2, and they said, hath the Lord indeed spoken
only by Moses, hath he not spoken also by us and the Lord heard
it." Now we're told why they were
saying this, but here's what they said. This is what comes
out. This is speaking against Moses. Sure, God spoke by Moses, but
He also spoke by us. Now I don't know if it is to
you, but it also It sounds awfully familiar to me when you look
ahead a couple of chapters to number 16, when you read about
a guy by the name of Korah and 215 others. He said, all the
people are holy. But this is Miriam and Aaron.
Aaron's the high priest. He ought to know better. He's
going to know better, because they're going to get a lesson
here from the Lord shortly. To put it out, but this was the
speaking against Moses. Moses is not that special. We're
special too. And the Lord heard it. The Lord heard it. The Lord heard
it. Now the Lord hears everything.
He is everywhere. He knows everything. But this
means he paid special attention to this when they were denigrating Moses. Now, it doesn't say when it was
said, where it was said, or how it was said. It could have been
whispered amongst themselves. It could have been in a family
gathering. It may have been at the family picnic, the reunion. It doesn't matter when it was
said. It's just the fact that they said it. Then the Lord heard
it. And he's going to make very plain
that he did not like them speaking against Moses. Then we look, and it does say
that the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and
unto Miriam, come ye out, these three, to the tabernacle of the
congregation. Come on down and we're going
to talk about it. Actually, I'm going to talk and you're going
to listen. That's usually the way these things go when the
Lord is speaking. That's the way it's supposed
to go. And he says, hear now my words. If there be a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, will make myself known unto him in a vision, and
I will speak to him in a dream. This is how the Lord dealt with
prophets in the Old Testament. They were given a message from
God. But he says it was either in a dream or in a vision. But then it says, my servant
Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. God said Moses was different
here. I like the way Young's literal
translation it says, The way it puts it, it says, not so my
servant Moses. He's faithful. Steadfast in all
mine house, is the way it puts it. Not so my servant Moses. Moses was not just a prophet. Moses was more. Now, God said
Moses was different. But we know Moses was no better,
naturally, than any other man. It's evident in here, in his
life, in his testimony, that he wrote down. Moses was certainly
not more than human. He was a sinner who found grace
in the eyes of the Lord. But why was Moses different? There's only one reason. God
said so. God said so. I just read it.
Not so, my servant Moses. I got prophets. I talked to the
prophets. But not so, my servant Moses. The only difference between Moses
and the others was that God made a difference. And he tells us
how it come about or what, not how it comes about, but he told
us how he is different. Verse 8 says, With him will I
speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches. Moses
was the one that the Lord used, the Lord chose, to lead his people
out of Egypt. He is a type of Christ in that
he is a type of deliverer of the people of God. That's the
difference here that the Lord's pointing out. And I want to tell you something
very clearly, very plainly. I'll state it here, I'll state
it at the end, and probably state it in the middle again. The Lord
will not have His Son spoken against even in type. He will not have it. He will
not have it. The Lord made a special relationship
with Moses. That's why there was one. It
wasn't anything better about Moses than anyone else. But,
if the Lord says, not so my servant Moses, He's different. With him, I'll speak mouth to
mouth. That's what it is. Moses here is a type of Christ. He was going to speak to him
mouth to mouth, face to face. That's what he said about Abraham. I spoke to Abraham face to face
as a man speaking with his friend. And it says, with an appearance,
even apparently. That's what that means. with
an appearance. And not in dark speeches, not
in riddles, not in dreams, not in visions. I'm going to speak
to this man mouth to mouth. I have been speaking to this
man mouth to mouth with an appearance. And by that
meaning, not in a vision, not in a dream. and the similitude
of the Lord shall he behold." I like that. I'd look that up,
though. The form of him shall Moses behold. The Lord had a special relationship
with Moses, and it was totally of the Lord's doing. Moses wasn't
looking for God on the backside of the desk. the Lord found him
and the Lord made him and he made him into a type of our Lord
Jesus Christ and it's here for our edification now it doesn't mention the name
of Moses' wife here and Walter I did that thing where you look
at commentaries they say a lot of weird things Most of them,
not most of them, but some of them say that it's not Zipporah,
the one we know about. Because they're saying that Moses
divorced her. I don't know where they get any
of this stuff, because it's not in the scriptures. The only wife
I know of that Moses had is Zipporah. That's the only one that's in
the scriptures. And Zipporah was a Midianite. She was the
daughter of that guy. I don't know. I forgot his name.
Jethro, the priest. And media is in Cush. And the
other translations, some of the other translations actually in
the definition of that word Ethiopian where they've got it, Cushite. So why they want to do this,
I don't know. But some of them really didn't
want it to be Zavora. The other thing was the reason they were
mad at the woman he married was because the woman he married
was getting involved in the business of choosing, helping, picking,
not picking, but influencing Moses on which of the 70 elders
he picked. When they were naming 70 elders.
I don't know where they get any of that either. All we have here
is that they spoke against a type of Christ because of his bride. They didn't like his bride and
they spoke against him. Miriam and Aaron's displeasure
with Moses because of the wife he married led them to speak
against Moses. And I got to thinking about this
and I have seen this. and this is one reason why I
wanted to preach this, try to, because I have seen some and
they have been here. There are some who will speak
against the Bride of Christ. They will speak against the people
of God and because for some reason whatsoever they don't like someone
that comes to church a believer they will separate themselves
from the rest of the people of God that's wrong and that is speaking
against Christ to despise his bride or any part
of it is to despise his body. The church is his body, he's
the head, we are the members. So to despise his bride is to
despise him. And I'll tell you this, the Lord
will not have it. Verse 9 says, And the anger of
the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed. God will not have anyone speak
against His Son, even in type. You're not going to speak against
the type of Christ. And very clearly, throughout
this whole incident, The Lord never once mentions Moses' wife. Never once is her name mentioned
or the cause mentioned ever again, other than when it is in verse
1. Why? Christ and His bride are
one. Ephesians 5 verses 29 to 23 talks
about they shall be one flesh. Now this is a great mystery,
but I speak according concerning Christ and his church. We sing a song, Christ and his
bride appeared as one. That's the truth of scripture. And Christ's bride has been redeemed. And they sung a new song saying
thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof
for thou was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of
every kindred and tongue and people and nation. And we are made one body. His body. If you're offended by the bride
of Christ, the problem is with us. The problem is with you.
It doesn't matter who they are. They are out of every kindred,
tribe, nation under heaven. That's a fact. To speak against Christ is sin.
To be offended at Christ because of his bride is also sin. He is the head of the body and
we are members in particular. To be against his bride is to
be against him. Now there may say, some people
may say, I don't see it that way. Well, it doesn't matter
what you say. The Lord sees it that way. And I said it, even in type. How do you think he feels about
it in reality today? Not just in type. I mean, this
was real. This was reality. They did speak
against Moses. And Miriam was turned leprous.
Now she was sent without the camp, and I'm assuming she came
back. But this actually did happen. The bride of his only begotten
well-beloved son right now is beloved of God in him. Brethren, beloved of the Lord, What does this mean? It means
to be offended by his bride is to be offended by the bridegroom.
And it will be manifest in speaking against him. And I'll say this again, the
Lord will not have it. There are consequences for any
thoughts or actions against Christ and his bride. There are things
that are known about those who are offended by the bride of
Christ, the church, the members of his body. It's known to be deathly serious. There are things said that John
wrote about anyone who hates his brother. Strong language. It's a sin to
hate your brother. I was very carefully. It doesn't
matter the reason. It doesn't matter the reason. 1 John 2 and 9 says, He that
saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness
even until now. Verse 11 said, But he that hateth
his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness. and knoweth
not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his
eyes." 1 John 3 and 15 says, Whosoever hateth his brother
is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life
abiding in him. 1 John 4 and 20, If a man say,
I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar for he that loveth
not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom
he hath not seen they said all those are from
the apostle love as they call John Jesus Christ is not ashamed to
call us his breath we are called the bride we are called His body. His church. John does tell us the one reason. And this is what's scary about
this. It says they are in darkness
now. They walk in darkness. They are a murderer. They do
not have eternal life. But that last verse says there's
only one reason they hate their brother. They don't love God. That's what it says. It's a serious
thing. Now I'm not talking about being
vexed or upset or offended. I can probably do all those things. This is talking about someone
who has hatred for one whom Christ loves. The Lord will not have it. We've seen people leave here.
And they have left here because of what we said. because of what I've preached,
because of what Walter's preached, because of what Earl preached
before us. God won't have it. It manifests
their rebellion against Him and His Word. That's all it is. It's a manifestation. If they're offended by his word
and by our speaking it, I can't help it. This word is all we have. His
word is all we have. And I remember being in meetings
and meeting others who love this work. And they
are my brothers and sisters in Christ also. I can't fathom anymore, Mason. I used to be able to. I used
to avoid people like me, like the plague, and people like you,
like the plague. but I can't fathom it anymore.
I don't understand it anymore, and I don't want to understand
how it can be done. I want to love my brethren. I
want to love my Lord, and I want to gather together with the people
of God. Heavenly Father, we're thankful
again this time in this place. Thank you, Lord, for your son, for all that he did, all that
he is doing to us, for us, in us, around us. Thank you. In Christ's name we pray, amen.